How do you take your tea? Odds are the answer to that question isn’t “chilled”, but after trying some of the balanced, refreshing drinks available from the Henley-based Tcha, you might rethink that. Started in lockdown by husband and wife team Matt and Ruth, Tcha is the only ‘functional tea’ available in the UK, and is now nationally listed with the UK’s largest wellness retailer, Holland & Barrett. Impressive stuff!

Hang on, you ask: ‘functional tea’? A functional drink is a drink that’s good for gut and/or cognitive health (think kefir, kombucha), and in Tcha’s case this means a selection of vitamin-packed, ready-to-drink teas that suit different needs throughout the day.

Entirely delicious (yet low-calorie if, ahem, you care about that sort of thing), Tcha teas actually make a great alternative to juices and smoothies, artificial soft drinks, and even an evening’s glass of alcohol (you know, on occasion).

Yep, tea is a lot more versatile than we thought — something Tcha creator Matt (an ex-Gordon Ramsay chef turned beverage NPD specialist, don’tcha know) wants to show the British public. Having developed drinks for Coca-Cola, Tango Ice blast, and Robinsons, and after working on chilled tea drinks abroad, Matt decided to bring the wonders of chilled tea to this country, and to show us exactly what we’ve been missing out on.

There are three blends available, all made from ethically-sourced Kenyan black tea:

• ‘Awaken’ has citrussy notes, is naturally caffeinated, and is full of vitamin C and B vitamins, making it perfect for a morning drink or anytime pick-me-up.
• ‘Revive’ has more of a malty Assam flavour and a blend of vitamins C, D3, and B vitamins, with enough natural caffeine to revive you in an afternoon dip.
• ‘Relax’ is low in caffeine and rich in antioxidants, a smooth mix of oolong, blueberry, and lavender for when you want to unwind.

The entire range is plant-based, free from all major allergens, free from artificial sweeteners, colours, and flavours, and can contain up to 50% of your daily vitamin intake in a single serving. Serious creds!

Crucially, Tcha is also sourced from an ethical, sustainable supplier that is dedicated to fairly treating its local Kenyan community. Other ingredients are, where possible, sourced from the British Isles, like the Suffolk-grown beet sugar that provides a little sweetness. Not only that, but the packaging has been closely considered, mostly coming as recyclable aluminium cans with compostable sleeves (250ml for grab-and-go drinking), and otherwise available as one litre bottles for the fridge. The bottles are 100% recyclable and 50% recycled plastic, since these produce half the greenhouse gas emissions (and use six times less water) than a glass bottle. It’s all thought-out!

After reading all that, we’re feeling a little thirsty. Anyone for a chilled tea?